The Well Dressed Kitchen

Holiday

Festive 5-Minute Cranberry Salsa

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Cranberry Salsa is made from fresh cranberries, served over cream cheese and makes the most amazing Holiday Dip. The salsa is tart from the cranberry, balanced out with sweetness from honey yet full of heat from jalapeño. You will serve this every year, guaranteed! 

Cranberry Salsa

Best Time of Year To Use Fresh Cranberries

This is the best time of year to cook with fresh cranberries. These beautiful little bits of tartness are only in stores for a limited time so stock up now. The bright, Cranberry color is absolutely gorgeous, I had to find a way to use them in a quick and easy Holiday recipe!

Cranberry Salsa

This salsa recipe is really quick and easy and there is no cooking involved!

All you do is combine all ingredients in food processor: Cranberries, Diced Green Onion, Diced Jalapeño (without the seeds or leave the seeds in for more heat), Cilantro, Lime Juice, Honey and a pinch of Salt. Pulse until well combined like the picture below. Then scoop out on top of a block of cream cheese and serve with crackers. You can use any crackers you like. I used a variety of crackers of different shapes and sizes.

Cranberry Salsa

If you like a lot of heat, keep the seeds in the jalapeño. When I am serving at a party I leave out the seeds because not everyone likes spicy. I allow my salsa to chill in the refrigerator a few hours before serving allowing the flavors to develop. If you don’t have the time you can still serve immediately and it’s so yummy.

Cranberry Salsa
 
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This Cranberry Salsa is made from fresh cranberries, served over cream cheese and makes the most amazing Holiday Dip. The salsa is tart from the cranberry, balanced out with sweetness from the honey yet full of heat from the jalapeños. You will serve this every year, guaranteed!
Ingredients
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries, rinsed
  • 4 green onions, diced
  • 1 jalapeño, minced (seeds removed)
  • ¼ cup cilantro leaves
  • 1 lime, juice of
  • ¼ cup honey
  • pinch of salt
Instructions
  1. In a food processer or blender, place cranberries, green onions, jalapeños, cilantro leaves, lime juice, honey and salt and pulse until finely chopped. Taste and add more honey depending how tart your cranberries taste.
  2. Cover with plastic wrap and put in refrigerator for a few hours before serving allowing the flavors to develop.
  3. Serve cranberry salsa alone or over cream cheese with crackers.

Cranberry Salsa

More Holiday Appetizers:

Sweet Potato Bites

Sweet Potato Bites + Goat Cheese, Cranberry, and Pecan

Tomato Pesto Crostini

Tomato + Pesto Crostini 

Shop Products I used in this recipe:

I can’t wait for the day I have a huge Food Processor, but for now my Cuisinart does the trick and I am really impressed with it. It’s reasonably priced and easy to use. Click here or on the picture below for the link:

What is your favorite Holiday Appetizer!? I would love to see your pictures. Please let me know by leaving a comment below and share a picture on Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #thewelldressedkitchen.

THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING ALONG! XOXO, REBECCA ROSATI @ THE WELL DRESSED KITCHEN! 💗

Vanilla Cupcakes + Buttercream Icing

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When I think of Valentine’s Day Hearts and Pink come to mind. For some people, it might be chocolate, roses, or fancy dinners and I am all about that too but I love pink and I’ll take any chance I get to decorate with pink!! I love these cupcakes because they are visually so pretty and they taste just as good! The cake for these cupcakes is vanilla with a vanilla buttercream icing.

Cupcakes

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I wanted to get a post out quickly because I didn’t plan very well and here I am two days before Valentine’s Day with nothing to share. I had good intentions of sharing a Valentines Dinner and I even came up with a Salmon recipe, tested it out, got my photos and then life got busy and I never got the post out. The good news is I will be posting the recipe soon so keep checking back!

Vanilla Cupcakes

My inspiration behind this post was sharing the perfect vanilla cupcake recipe. I think it’s difficult to make the perfectly moist, yet spongy vanilla cupcake. I have messed around with a lot of different recipes and then I found this recipe by Lindsey at Life Love and Sugar and I make it all the time! It’s a quick and easy recipe and the cupcakes come out moist and delicious. This recipe uses vegetable oil rather than butter, making it similar to a boxed cake. In my opinion, the cake is more moist and lasts longer when you use oil. Click here for the recipe. I love her blog, she has really great cake recipes and her decorating is beautiful.

Vanilla Cupcakes

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM ICING

I get asked a lot what I use in my icing recipe and I am always happy to share, but this is the first time I have posted on my blog. I use a basic buttercream icing recipe. I have been using the same recipe for years and I think it’s the best consistency and tastes the best. A lot of recipes call for half butter and half shortening, but my preference for the best taste is using only butter. Also, a lot of recipes call for salted butter which pairs well with vanilla, but I always use unsalted because you never know how much salt is in the butter and too much can ruin your icing.

Icing Tips:

  1. Butter needs to be at room temperature before beating it – Make sure to beat out all lumps before adding the powdered sugar. This step is essential for a smooth icing consistency.
  2. Sift powdered sugar – Sifting removes any lumps and makes the sugar fluffier by adding air. Any fine mesh can be used for sifting, most commonly a kitchen strainer.
  3. Don’t over beat icing – Once all ingredients are combined, try not to over beat the icing as this will cause bubbles ruining the texture of the icing.
  4. Buttercream Icing is best at room temperature – It’s best to frost your cake or cupcakes when icing is at room temperature.
  5. Always make more than less – I almost always double the recipe and make enough to do the entire job because it is difficult to recreate colors.

Vanilla Cupcakes

Vanilla Buttercream Icing
 
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This is my go-to Buttercream Icing Recipe. It tastes delicious and is the perfect consistency for piping cupcakes.
Ingredients
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 2-3 tbsp water or milk, more or less for desired consistency
Instructions
  1. In a stand mixer, on medium speed whip the butter until light and fluffy, making sure there are no clumps.
  2. On low speed, slowly add in powdered sugar, half a cup at a time until well combined. Add in vanilla.
  3. Add water or milk by the tablespoon until desired consistency. You should be able to hold a spoon of icing on its side without it falling off the spoon.
  4. If you want to color your icing, I recommend using Wilton Icing Color Gels. Slowly add to icing until you icing is your desired color.
  5. *Note* Double recipe if piping icing for cupcakes.

Vanilla Cupcakes

Do you have plans for Valentine’s Day!? I would love to hear what you’re up to or see pictures of any treats you’re making or receive! Post a picture and hashtag thewelldressedkitchen 💗

Shop products I used in this recipe:

TO MAKE THIS ICING, I USE MY KITCHEN AID STAND MIXER, TRULY EVERY WELL DRESSED KITCHEN NEEDS ONE SO I HAVE LINKED BELOW.

You need this cupcake tin from William’s Sonoma, it makes the perfect cupcakes. I won’t use a different pan every again. My cupcakes come out fluffy every time! Click on picture below to purchase!

williams-sonoma-goldtouch-nonstick-muffin-pan-12-well-o

Asian Turkey Meatballs

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Asian inspired food is some of my favorite. These Asian Turkey Meatballs are covered in a sweet and spicy sauce then garnished with sesame seeds and scallions. These meatballs are savory, bursting with flavor, and easy to make to boot. 

Asian Turkey Meatballs

Uhh, yeah! These meatballs have so much flavor, they are healthy, and easy to make. Make them as an appetizer, serve for dinner over rice or quinoa with a side of veggies, or make them as part of your meal prep lunch for the week. These meatballs pair perfectly with my Quinoa Veggie “Fried Rice”. 

The first time I made these meatballs was for a girl’s night. I wanted to serve healthy appetizers and I was in the mood for something savory that I wouldn’t feel guilty eating. Let me tell you, these meatballs were a huge hit and everyone wanted the recipe. I am hoping all of you will love these Asian Inspired Meatballs just as much!

Let’s Get Saucy!!

What makes these meatballs is the sauce. It’s sweet & spicy and in my opinion, there is nothing better than that. I like to marinade the meat mixture in the sauce, if times allows, but this sauce has so much flavor it’s not essential by any means.

Here is what I love about this recipe:

  • It is easy: These meatballs can be on the table in 30 minutes. I use a small stainless steel scoop to easily portion the meatballs. Here is the link for the scoop I use.
  • It is versatile: Appetizer, lunch, dinner, meal prep… use ground turkey, chicken, or beef… whatever meat you like.
  • It is saucy: Soy sauce, hoisin sauce, garlic, ginger, this sauce is sweet but to spice it up a notch there is sriracha… and remember this recipe is versatile so make them as saucy as you like!

Make it a Meal Prep Lunch:

Turkey Meatballs Meal Prep Lunch

Add quinoa or brown rice, maybe a side of broccoli or green beans or just eat plain. There is so much you can do with these meatballs. Make sure you post a picture when you make them and use #thewelldressedkitchen.

Asian Turkey Meatballs
 
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Ingredients
  • Meatballs:
  • 1 pound ground turkey
  • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs + ¼ cup for topping
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp fresh ground ginger, minced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced + more for garnish
  • Sesame Seeds, for garnish (optional)
  • Sauce:
  • ⅓ cup hoisin sauce
  • ¼ cup rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ground ginger, minced
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Line baking sheet or a 9x13 inch baking dish with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
  2. In a medium-sized bowl combine all sauce ingredients including hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger, and whisk until well combined. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, combine meatball ingredients including ground turkey, panko breadcrumbs, ginger, garlic, eggs, green onion, and ½ cup of sauce you made. (*Note* Reserve remaining sauce to top meatballs after cooked) Gently mix with your hands until well combined. Using a scoop or you hands roll the turkey mixture into balls roughly 1 inch to 1.5 inches in size (yields roughly 15 to 20 meatballs depending on size). Place meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle remaining panko breadcrumbs on top of meatballs.
  4. Bake in oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until meatballs are no longer pink inside. Remove from oven and pour remaining sauce over top of meatballs. Garnish with sliced green onion and sesame seeds and serve warm.

Notes:

  1. Sauce: You can make extra sauce if you want the meatballs to be extra saucy. If time allows, marinade the meat in the sauce in the refrigerator for an hour for extra flavor.
  2. Storage: Keep in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
  3. Meal Prep: Make this a meal prep by adding rice or quinoa and a side of veggies. Divide in microwave safe containers and keep in fridge for 4 to 5 days. Reheat in microwave when ready to eat. To eliminate the hard work of mincing fresh garlic, I use a Garlic Press, here is the link for the garlic press I use. It lets you press fresh cloves of garlic without peeling them first.

More Recipes I love…

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Quinoa Veggie “Fried Rice”

THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING ALONG!

XOXO, REBECCA ROSATI @THE WELL DRESSED KITCHEN 💗

Asian Turkey Meatballs